The present invention generally relates to washing machines and, more particularly, to a foamed cleaning solution dispensing system for use in washing machines.
There are generally two categories of washing machines that are used for the purpose of washing laundry articles such as clothes. A first category is a vertical axis washing machine that allows for top-loading of laundry articles into a washing chamber that includes an agitator that rotates about a vertical axis. The agitator generates a vortex flow within the washing chamber and causes the laundry articles to undergo a vigorous frictional movement against each other and the agitator to provide the desired cleaning action. A second category of laundry machine is a horizontal axis laundry machine that allows for front-loading of laundry articles into the washing chamber and includes a rotary drum that rotates about a horizontal axis and is partially submerged in the cleaning liquid of the washing chamber. With this type of washing machine, the laundry articles contained in the rotary drum are rubbed against each other as the drum rotates.
The above-described washing machines typically include a detergent container that is adapted to contain a quantity of powder or liquid detergent product that when mixed with water forms the cleaning liquid that is used to wash the laundry articles. The detergent container is in fluid communication with the washing chamber of the washing machine. A flow of water is sent through the detergent container during the wash cycle of a selected washing sequence to thereby flush out and convey into the washing chamber a quantity of the detergent that further mixes with water in the washing chamber to form the cleaning liquid. Different detergent products and/or fabric softeners can be added to the detergent container at different phases or cycles of an ongoing washing sequence to have them introduced into the washing chamber.
It has been estimated that 35 billion loads of laundry are washed in the United States each year. As a result, an enormous amount of energy is consumed by washing machines to clean laundry. Additionally, pollutants in the form of detergents and chemical agents that are used during the washing of the laundry can potentially harm the environment. Accordingly, concerns exist not only to the enormous amount of energy that is consumed by washing machines, but the potential harm that detergents and other chemicals used during the washing process may have on the environment.
The energy used by a washing machine to wash a load of laundry is directly related to the duration of the wash and rinse cycles. The duration of the rinse cycles are related to the amount of detergent or chemicals that are used. In general, the more detergent used during a wash cycle, the longer the rinse cycle must be in order to extract the detergent from the laundry articles and, hence, the more energy that must be used by the washing machine. Furthermore, the more detergent used during a wash cycle, the more pollutant byproducts that are generated. Accordingly, both the energy used by the washing machine and the pollutant byproducts produced thereby can be reduced by reducing the amount of detergent that is used during the wash cycle.
To that end, efforts are directed to increase the cleaning efficiency of washing machines to not only reduce the amount of energy that is used during wash and rinse cycles but, possibly, the amount of detergent that is used as well. One method of accomplishing this is through the introduction of air bubbles into the washing chamber during the wash cycle. The air bubbles are used to improve the cleaning efficiency of the cleaning liquid by attracting dirt particles to their surfaces. The air bubbles along with the clinging dirt particles are then removed from the washing chamber. Although air bubbles can be generated during the washing cycle as a result of the movement of the clothes within the washing liquid, more efficient cleaning can result through the injection of air bubbles into the washing chamber by a bubble generating component. Such bubble generating components are typically positioned at a base of the washing chamber and produce air bubbles that travel through the cleaning liquid that is stored therein.
There exists a never-ending demand for improvements to washing machines to increase their cleaning efficiency while reducing their energy consumption and their production of environmentally harmful byproducts.
The present invention is directed to a foamed cleaning liquid dispensing system for use in a washing machine that improves the cleaning efficiency of the cleaning liquid, reduces washing machine energy consumption and chemical waste. The foamed cleaning liquid dispensing system generally includes a cleaning liquid dispenser and a foaming device. The cleaning liquid dispenser includes an output flow of cleaning liquid, which is received by the foaming device. The foaming device includes an input flow of air and a mixing member in which the flows of air and cleaning liquid are combined to form an output flow of foamed cleaning liquid that is directed to a washing chamber of the washing machine. The foamed cleaning liquid provides a significant improvement to the cleaning efficiencies of the cleaning liquid, which allows for less cleaning agent or chemical to be used for a given wash cycle. As a result, the foamed cleaning liquid dispersing system of the present invention reduces washing machine energy consumption and chemical waste.